Just a few miles away from the mythical mound of Chandraketugarh lie
the town of Haroa, containing the remains of an ancient mosque built
on the ruins of an even more ancient Buddhist Stupa. Although some
excavation work have been carried out at Chandraketugarh and at
least the area have been cordoned off and marked of as a “Monument
of National Importance” but the later, locally called Lal Masjid,
nothing much has been done. The blue board of Archeological Survey
of India is nowhere to be found. Since its first excavation in 1909
this ruins remains in utter neglect.

Haroa is the home of the mythical Pir Gorachand. According to local
lore, pleased with Gorachand’s devotion the Sun God ordered him to
build a mosque. But there was a condition, the entire mosque had to
be built in his absence. In other words construction should start at
sunset and should be completed by the next sunrise. In a desperate
race against time Gorachand and his followers went on to please the
Sun God, but as they were fixing the last pieces of bricks on the
roof the crow cawed, marking the arrival of the Sun God. So the
incomplete mosque was abandoned and can still be seen to this day.

Alas historians differ, Rakhaldas Banerjee, of Mahenjodaro fame,
claims that the remains are of a Buddhist Stupa constructed during
the time of Christ. According to him almost a thousand and three
hundred years later an attempt was made to construct a mosque
above the ruins and it is all that remains to this day.

The ruins can be reached from Haroa bus stop by a cycle van,
popularly known as the Lal Masjid. Surrounded by ponds on three
sides the 30 feet red wall, crowned with a banyan tree, is all
that remains of the mosque. The walls of the other three sides
have long collapsed and so have the roof. The huge banyan tree
has spread its roots through the entire length of the wall,
which is on the verge of collapsing. But it has remained in
this condition for almost a century. Rakhaldas Banerjee, who
carried out an excavation of the ruins in 1909 have reported
the mosque to be in similar condition. The village elders also
agree with this fact. Also according to them the ruins have
remained in the same condition since their childhood.

The circular arrangement of bricks at the base of the wall
clearly indicates that it was a Buddhist Stupa. Archeological
(coins) findings justify this fact and confirm that it was
almost 2000 years old. The upper wall with its distinctive
red colour differs considerably from the mound of bricks on
which it stands. Nothing is much known about the red wall,
which was constructed about 700 years ago. Although popularly
known as the Lal Masjid, but there is no historical evidence
to prove that it was indeed a mosque.

Another interesting finding are a few stone pillars, two of
which can still be seen. Two pillars about 6 feet in length
lies on the ground just at the foot of the wall. The exact
purpose of these massive pillars is unknown to this day.

Although the historians have come up with more rational
explanation, but in Haroa the legend of Gorachand still
lives on. It is said that Gorachand died of the injuries
inflected by an enormous demon, whom Gorachand killed and
thus in the process saved the entire human race. Again
historians differ, according to them the original name of
Gorachand was Hajarat Syed Abbas Ali. Abbas Ali, in the
process of spreading Islam was engaged in a battle with
the king of Hatigarh, in Sundarban area. During the battle
Abbas Ali was mortally wounded by the princes Akananda, who
used a God blessed weapon (Strangely here also myths takes
over history). Abbas Ali died seven days later.

Little away from the ruins lie the original tomb of Gorachand.
His mortal remains, consisting of a few bones, where later
removed to a mosque in Haroa. Legends say that the word Haroa
was derived from the Bengali word Har, meaning bones. The
darga of Pir Gorachand can still be seen inside a mosque,
located at the banks of the Vidyadhari River. Every year
on the 12th day of the Bengali month of Falgun, which
happens to be the death anniversary Pir, a procession
starts of from the original grave of Gorachand goes past the
Lal Masjid and finally terminates at the present darga.
Candles are lit at all the three places and also a fair
is held at Haroa.

Whether Muslims or Hindus, everyone in Haroa is aware of the
strange exploits of this mythical man. In Haroa the legend
of Gorachand still lives on even though his Lal Masjid
lies in total neglect.